Wednesday, February 3, 2016

I remember when I was pregnant with my first son, there was a whirlwind of emotions that had to be sorted out, but it only happened in little steps all along the way. On one hand forty weeks felt like an eternity, but on the other hand it felt like it was in the blink of an eye. Gradually, day by day, each uncertainty, worry, hesitation, decision, attitude change, or even roller coaster feeling had to be worked through as the time got closer... but yet once the time was there, baby was coming ready or not!Perhaps you might find it a little strange to compare my working on my biggest and most monumental quilt ever to that of a pregnancy, but oddly enough, it's kind of how it feels.

Since my end goal quilt had grown to such epic proportions, it felt like the end was so far away, that I almost could not imagine it having an end... and I realized that now that I am coming into the home stretch. Each block consists of four separate paper pieced rays/corners, that too have to be connected... and then the center applique circle! So, working on it day by day, here and there, week after week, only felt like drip-drop,gradual progress, but now it is almost a surreal feelingthat I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!... and it gives me that ready-or-not-here-I-come feeling that I experienced as a mom-to-be once my due date drew close.

I'm three quarters of the way through, and it hit me that this work-in-progress actually drapes now!... no more blocks on the wall that are being re-arranged, waiting to have the circles finished, and then and only then be connected.

And like a new mom, the feelings of... and now what are coming up! How in the heck am I going to quilt this thing with a walking foot?!? (no free motion for this gal yet) I originally thought that I wanted to give it away to a longarmer, but now I'm just not sure. So while I'm just ONE ROW away from a quilt top finish, I'm still processing (as usual) about what to do once I'm finally finished. (So, I hope it obvious that I am more than open to suggestions!)

Have you had any quilts that almost felt like it was birthing a baby?How long did your longest quilt in the works take to finish?

Oh my gosh, Allison!!! It is SOO fabulous!! So, SO fabulous. I'm getting teary. How ridiculous is that?! ;-)I think, if I were you, I'd be afraid of screwing it up with the quilting (I am pretty much always afraid of screwing up my quilts at this stage!) but at the same time, even if I could afford to have it long armed, I'd have a very hard time sending my baby out to be quilted by someone else (I could probably let it go to Carole of fresh off the frame though, she puts a lot of love and thought into her quilting...) I don't care much for (the process of) ditch quilting, but (besides the circles - they need a little something more) that might be great for this quilt. Hmmm.... I just don't know. Now I'm going to look for some other FE quilts to see how they were quilted....

i think your analogy makes perfect sense! i've had a similar journey with a quilt i've designed (and redesigned), that i'm making for my oldest son. he's the one to get his mama made and i really just want to finish it. but do it right. anyway, your quilt is totally amazing! those colors are just brilliant. keep sewing! almost there.

I do all my own quilting. My quilts may not be perfect but I enjoy doing all of it myself. I can do FMQ on my home machine and I have rented a long arm at a nearby quilt shop to do FMQ on quilt larger quilts. I find renting the machine an good affordable way to do this myself and I had the staff to help when needed while I was learning. If this is a possibility for you, you might want think about it.

I mostly do straight line quilting on my home machine. I have done FMQ on my home machine on larger quilts but really I like the look of straight line stitching. I let the quilt speak to me and tell me what it wants. I have quilted queen size quilts on my home machine.

Reading your story and looking at your photos, I am thinking that you will bring this baby home and take good care of it, no matter what you decide about the quilting. Maybe you will decide a new experience at a good quilting care-taker will be good for both of you. Maybe you will be a quilt-at-home mommy. Either way ... enjoy raising baby and post piccies for us to enjoy,too,.

I think your comparison, and thoughtfulness, are awesome!!! My longest quilt completion was an on again off again 24 year hand pieced behemoth I call my "Anniversary Quilt. A Broken Star, that I began to accapt would never be finished. And then it was! And it was/is incredible to enjoy! Pretty soon you will find yours is accomplished and finished, and an amazing part of your stack of wonderful enjoyment :) YAY!!!! It really is UBERawesome!!!!